The present invention relates to an adapter for use in holding two separate devices in a manner such that they will not become separated. More specifically, the present application is directed to a positive fit feed adapter for use in attaching a paintball gun and paintball loader such that the two devices will not separate when subjected to normal stresses yet can be separated by the user on demand in a simple manner.
Currently, several different types of methods and devices are used to attach a paintball loader to a paintball gun. Paintball guns are typically provided with a feed port, which is an opening into the breach of the gun that allows paintballs to feed from the loader into the breach. In most cases, a tubular element, referred to as a feed tube, is used in combination with the feed port to allow the supply of paintballs to enter into the paintball gun. The feed tube can be formed contiguous with the feed port or can be manufactured as a separate element and attached to the feed port in one of several different manners.
Paintball loaders are typically provided as a separate unit from the paintball gun and include a loader neck. The loader neck of the paintball loader typically requires an additional element to be attached to either the feed port of the paintball gun or the feed tube positioned within the feed port of the gun. These additional elements, commonly referred to as xe2x80x9celbowsxe2x80x9d, utilize pressure fit or clamping means to retain the paintball loader in place.
Currently, loaders are provided by various different manufacturers and in various different models and sizes, as are the elbows used to couple the loader to the feed tube of the paintball gun. Typically, the fit between the paintball loader and the elbow is rarely sufficient to retain the loader in place when the loader is subjected to the stresses of normal use during a paintball game. Further, the fit between the two devices varies depending on the manufacturing tolerances of the devices and the normal wear that occurs during the life of the products.
It is currently anticipated that new paintball loaders and feed devices will not be passive in operation (using gravity, for example), but will use mechanical, pneumatic, electronic or combinations of these means to move the paintballs between the loader and the breach of the gun. These types of active feed systems increase the weight and size of the loader, which creates even greater stress on the junction between the loader and the feed port, thereby requiring an even firmer fit and attachment between the paintball loader and the feed port of the paintball gun.
The present invention is a positive fit feed adapter used to connect a paintball loader to a paintball gun. The positive fit feed adapter of the present invention uses a resilient or collapsible member to create a positive fit between the paintball loader and the paintball gun. The feed adapter of the present invention can be formed as an integrated part of a feed elbow, an integrated part of a paintball loader, or as an integrated part of the feed port of the paintball gun.
The present invention relates to a feed adapter used in providing a positive fit between a paintball loader and a paintball gun. The positive fit feed adapter allows the paintball gun and the paintball loader to be securely connected and prevents separation during normal usage.
In the first embodiment of the invention, the feed tube of the paintball gun includes a connector portion having external threads and a plurality of expansion slots extending from the outer end of the feed tube. The external threads formed on the connector portion of the feed tube of the paintball gun are received by a corresponding set of internal threads formed on a collet. The internal diameter of the collet is tapered from a first end to a second end such that as the collet is tightened along the connector portion of the feed tube, the diameter of the feed tube is constricted. The constriction of the externally threaded feed tube is facilitated by the expansion slots formed therein.
In a second embodiment of the invention, a connector portion having external threads is formed on the loader neck of the paintball loader. Like the first embodiment, a collet having internal threads and an internally tapered surface decreasing in diameter from a first end to a second end is provided. During use, the smooth feed tube from the paintball gun is inserted into the threaded loader neck of the paintball loader and the collet is tightened along the external threads of the connector portion. The expansion slots formed on the threaded loader neck allow the loader neck to contract to provide a positive fit between the paintball gun and the paintball loader.
In a third embodiment of the invention, an elbow adapter is provided having a threaded connector formed on each of its ends. Each threaded connector includes a series of expansion slots. Each end of the elbow adapter receives either the loader neck of the paintball loader or the feed tube of the paintball gun. A pair of threaded collets, each of which have an internally tapered surface, can be tightened along the threaded connectors to provide a positive fit between the elbow adapter and the respective device.
In a fourth embodiment of the invention, the feed adapter includes an adapter cylinder sized to be received within the feed tube of the paintball gun. The adapter cylinder includes an externally threaded top portion that is received by a corresponding threaded portion of a collet. The collet further includes at least one elastic O-ring positioned along its internal surface. As the collet is tightened along the threaded portion of the adapter cylinder, the internally positioned O-ring tightens around the feed tube of the paintball loader to provide a positive fit between the paintball loader and the paintball gun.
In a fifth embodiment of the invention, the feed tube of the paintball gun includes an external notch that receives an O-ring. The feed tube of the paintball gun preferably includes a series of slots that allow the O-ring to extend into the interior of the feed tube. When the loader neck of the paintball loader is inserted into the paintball gun, the extending portions of the O-ring allow the O-ring to provide a positive fit and compensate for differences in diameter between the feed tube of the paintball gun and the paintball loader.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.